Research · complaint index

GMC Sierra 1500 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 5 model years of the GMC Sierra 1500 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2022, 2021 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
19996
20165
201834
202199
2022120
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
20226011203.5610Most complaints
2021596992.976Most complaints
2018305341.0710Typical
20165050.183Fewest complaints
199915860.249Fewest complaints
  • 2022601 complaints · 6 recallsMost complaints
  • 2021596 complaints · 7 recallsMost complaints
  • 2018305 complaints · 7 recallsTypical
  • 201650 complaints · 8 recallsFewest complaints
  • 1999158 complaints · 4 recallsFewest complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 30, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2016, 1999.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What GMC Sierra 1500 years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 2022, 2021 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 5 model years compared.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.